Patients in hospital beds, nursing home beds, or other treatment beds often require medical apparatus for introducing or removing fluids from the body. The apparatus typically includes a syringe, tubing and other elements which are positioned close to the patient.
For example, the use of syringes for stomach decompression and for the feeding of infants is a common medical procedure. When providing care to premature infants, normal infants, or any other patient, the precise application of feeding material or other activity ideally requires that the syringe, tubing, conduits, or other medical apparatus to the patient operate undisturbed and unimpeded. Furthermore, because syringes or other medical apparatus' are of different sizes and employ different capacities, the weight of the medical apparatus' employed varies. The tubing or conduits connecting the apparatus to the patient is frequently attached by medical tape or elastic bands. Unfortunately, because radiant warmers are commonly employed to keep a patient warm, the same heat that warms the patient compromises the adhesive qualities of the tape and elastic bands, as well as presenting a separate safety hazard to the patient.
Three problems which frequently arise pertain to: (1) the inadvertent disconnection or interruption of flow of the medical dispensing or accumulating devices with the patient; (2) the hazard posed to the patient from having an apparatus fall against or contact a patient being treated; and, (3) uneven flow of material either into or out of the medical apparatus in the course of operation depending upon the relative position of the apparatus and the patient.
Currently available apparatus' and methods do not satisfactorily address these common problems. Current practice involves the use of tape or rubber bands to hold the medical apparatus, such as the syringe, or the tubes, or the container for the formula being dispensed. However, when a patient moves, the apparatus may be displaced or disconnected. In the case of an infant, it is frequently the case that the frequent movement of the child-patient causes the apparatus' (namely syringes) to be disturbed and the flow of feeding formula to be interrupted. Additionally, the capacity of the tape or rubber bands is frequently exceeded by the weight of the formula being dispensed. With respect to feeding material, it is frequently desirable to have the feeding formula elevated over the patient; open top cribs make such feedings problematic, and without adequate support, poses a danger to the patient. In the context of stomach decompression, it is commonplace for the movement of the patient to cause leakage or spillage of gastric contents being tubally removed from the patient.
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a device for supporting a medical apparatus over a bed.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a syringe assembly support device which maintains the syringe assembly in a safe, yet functional position for use with a patient in a bed.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a support device for a syringe assembly which is adjustably positioned on a bed.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a support device for a medical apparatus which is pivotally connected to the bed for movement between use and non-use positions.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a support device for medical apparatus which can be secured beneath a mattress and extend above the mattress to position the apparatus over the mattress.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a support device for a medical apparatus which can be quickly and easily mounted on a bed and to which a medical apparatus can be quickly and easily connected.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.